Timber played with a pack of other dogs this weekend (after two years of attacking everything that moves-canine wise). They interacted for two full days without any reactivity around toys, foods, or each other, it was so amazing! They aren't best friends but it was unbelievable how much progress we've made. We credit everything to Cathy and her amazing team! When we first started working with Cathy and her team Timber would attack his own reflection. You wouldn't believe he's the same dog now. This is not a hyperbole. We had to tape up doors, windows, mirrors. Don't give up on your dog! Call Buddy's Chance and listen to her and her team. I'm ashamed to say we almost gave up but their thoughtful prompts kept ringing in my daft head. Thank you so much, Cathy! read more

Buddy's Chance - Pet Training Near Me

After getting proper training from another local service with acres of land, trained staff, and the right approach, I'm convinced that cramming treats down my dog's throat in a small room just doesn't work. The ladies were nice enough, but some of the commands were contradictory and rep numbers/times seemed rather arbitrary. I think all these 0/1 5-star no pic reviewers must have just gotten lucky... read more

I used Buddy's Chance for boarding my active dog and was unsure at first because it didn't have a yard area and it smelled a little funky in there. But Cara and her staff know dogs so well. They take them out for walks, runs all the time in the neighborhood and also have a playroom that looks like a kindergarten classroom. I know my dog gets plenty of one-on-one attention just by talking to the staff. Atticus (my dog) loves Buddy's Chance and loves Cara. Cara came over for a private training session and Atticus was so so SO excited to see her. Its like he knew that this lady just speaks his language. She gave us some great advice that worked almost instantaneously. I wouldn't trust another dog training/care facility more than Buddy's Chance. read more

We've been taking our pup to Buddy's Chance for trainging and boarding for almost a year now and we love it. Our dog loves it even more--she get's super-excited everytime we ask her "do you want to go to school"? The classes are great because they teach you how to train your dog. We love the boarding b/c we know our dog is suprevised, socialized, and getting exercise. We can get out of town guilt-free! read more

We were a little unsure of Buddy's Chance when we first brought our dog here for day care. Her previous spot had large outdoor play areas and the all-indoor layout had me a little worried. It didn't take long however, for Buddy's chance to win us over. Most importantly, my dog LOVES to go. She gets so excited as soon as she realizes where we're headed, it's always reassuring. Even after a recent 10 day board, she was ready to go back to day care four days later. The girls I've dealt with have all been sweet and attentive to our dog, and have bent over backwards to accommodate me when I'm running late or have to drop her off earlier than the regular times. We've been regular customers for a couple of years now, and gladly recommend them whenever we can. read more

We've taken two classes with Cara at Buddy's Chance. We were glad to find a trainer in Austin who practices positive, reward-based dog training. Cara is up to date on the latest techniques and training methods. She truly cares about the dogs well being and wants them to be able to live in our homes without the issues that lead some to give their dogs up to a shelter. She was able to help our energetic puppy through her initial shyness around other dogs and people, eventually helping her pass the AKC Good Citizenship test. Not sure what "acres of land" has to do with learning not to jump up or walk nicely on leash, but the space was fine for the small puppy and obedience class we've taken at Buddy's Chance. read more

I adopted a sweet Boston Terrier and she got along really well with my other Boston. For the first few months, I could take her out and she was great on the leash and towards other dogs and people. Once she got comfortable in her surroundings, she apparently felt the need to protect me. She became really hard to handle on a leash as she would pull and bark whenever she saw another dog. It was my opinion that she would try to harm another dog if she got to them. My previous dogs were not trained and that was my fault. I didn't want the same result with Maddie, so a friend of mine recommended Buddy's Chance. Cara is a gem and taught me how to train Maddie. She uses a very calm tone when explaining things which not only helped Maddie, it helped calm me down! She's not condescending and uses real life examples with solutions. She tailored the training to the specific dogs she is dealing with. Training takes patience and work from the OWNER. A person can't expect to bring a dog to a training class and have the trainer do all the work. Baby steps are key and of course in the beginning you'll have to avoid other dogs. We had homework of walking in the evenings and initially would turn around if we spotted another dog. Eventually we were able to pass them on the opposite side of the street. After the 8 weeks in the Reactive Dogs class, Maddie was able to walk next to dogs without bristling and even sat next to a dog that was only 2 feet away. I couldn't have done it without Cara and she will be my only trainer from here on out. I strongly believe that if the owner puts in the work and listens to the suggestions from Cara, improvement will be seen. read more

Buddy's Chance is a great place to socialize the puppy. It's very generous of them to offer these free classes (Perfect Puppy I). I took classes at Buddy Chance in conjunction with paid classes at another place, and the methods were very similar, all positive reinforcement. It's super important to socialize the pup (especially before the 12 week mark), and my puppy was exposed to different surfaces, different people, different dogs, crutches, etc. It's a sanitized and controlled play environment. Puppies don't have all of their shots yet, so I have to be careful which environments my puppy is exposed to. My dog to learned: sit, down, touch, stay (not for a long period of time though) that is about as much training as he needs for now, until he gets older. They do require a puppy permission slip signed by your vet, heads up! read more

Not a fan! We decided to board our 7 month old puppy there over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2008 only to return to find him soiled in his own urine - their response was... "Sorry, we don't have a way to wash him" We didn't even go back for the remaining puppy classes we had already paid for. We took a series of puppy classes over a year ago and I still get frustrated about our experience with buddy's chance. We didn't even know her name at the time and her dog just growled at all of the dogs! The class was not worth the money however we did learn about the tug jug there (it was great when he was a pup) No way - stay away! read more

I've been going to dog training at Buddy's chance for almost a year now with my 16 month old Boston Terrier.. And every time I go I still learn new things (Gypsy, my dog is another story)! But seriously, they have worked with me on all the basics, but they've also helped tremendously with more advanced training. I've also boarded Gypsy with Cara. It was like a vacation for her. When I drive up she gets so excited and can't wait to get into the front door. I know that she gets first class care there for reasonable rates. I've recommended Buddy's Chance to all my friends. read more

Cara, who owns Buddy's Chance, is among the most ethical and talented trainers I have had the pleasure to work with. She is highly skilled, both with formal training and her innate understanding of animal behavior, and she uses a training and behavior-modification approach that relies exclusively on positive reinforcement. With dog training, it needs to be said that it is often the owner who needs training, too, and Cara is wonderful about an inclusive approach. She gets to know that owner/family, as well as the dog, and tailors her training to best meet everyone's needs and goals. Cara is extremely generous with her time and knowledge, is a friendly and articulate person, and she runs a first-class business. I cannot recommend her more highly. read more

After over a year of barking problems with my 2 1/2 year-old dog, adopted from a shelter when she was 1, I thought things were sort of hopeless. She would bark uncontrollably at any other dog on walks, and it was constantly stressing me out. But then I found Buddy's Chance! Cara's advice and training sessions worked wonders. My dog quickly responded to her training methods, and her aggressiveness improved almost immediately. My dog began to love going to the Saturday training sessions and became much easier to manage around other dogs. Now she almost never barks or acts aggressively towards other dogs, and I can walk her without wondering if there will be an "incident." I would recommend Cara's training program to anyone! Cara is incredibly good with the dogs, and she really trains you to be a better pet owner as well. If you have an unmanageable dog, she's a lifesaver! read more

We took our 8 month old puppy to the free puppy classes for 5 weeks and then graduated to the 6 week classes for which we paid about $170. I was thrilled with Cara's advice in many areas: housetraining (cheese whiz by the back door,) socializing our skittish puppy, and leash training. Best of all, we feel confident, and I think that that's the hardest part of being a responsible dogowner. read more

Our lovable mutt, who we adopted from the humane society, loves life -- perhaps too much, even. Before going to Buddy's Chance, when he saw another dog on his walk, or in the yard, he would pull, bark, cry, and do everything in his power to get to them to play. We enrolled him in the reactive dogs class, which is not strictly for "agressive" dogs (many of the dogs in the class have similar problems or are reactive to people, bikes, etc.), and it has worked wonders on his behavior. The training method is very straightforward and simple, but very effective. It works entirely with positive reinforcement and is very easy to integrate into your everyday routine with your dog. The staff is great, and really take the time to understand your dog and help you. I would highly recommend their training. read more

If it weren't for Cara and the staff at Buddy's Chance, I'd likely never leave town without my 70 pound dog in tow (meaning I'd definitely never fly). If it weren't for Buddy's Chance, said dog would likely still be jumping on everyone, undoubtedly not crate-trained, and a general nemesis to the public. It's not that I didn't try to remedy my pups problems on my own, really I did, it's more that I was totally ignorant and naive about all things related to raising a puppy. My first experience with Buddy's Chance was 2 years ago, when an impromptu trip popped up that required me to fly across country without my dog. The whole notion of "boarding" my new dog seemed cruel and unfathomable. Yes, I'm one of those people. After searching endlessly, reading reviews, and reading between the lines of every little policy each dog boarding/training place in Austin had, I finally got the gumption to call and speak with Cara. She was very friendly, understanding, and willing to work with me (my dog has a pronounced hearing/seeing problem, i.e. special needs). In the end, we decided a 2 week board and train would be best. Initially I wasn't all that concerned about "training" her, I just thought if I threw in the training part, she'd get more attention, and I'd feel less guilty about leaving her in "boarding". Wow! What a huge difference this made in her behavior when I returned from my trip! In addition to getting updates on her status whenever I felt the need to call and check on her, the staff at Buddy's Chance was willing to go along with all of my silly requests, such as brushing her teeth EVERY SINGLE day and turning her personal fan on when she was crated. The fact that when I came back from my trip, she was well-trained, and well-behaved, was the butter cream icing on my cake. When I got back from my trip, Cara herself brought her to my house and did an in home training session, to help me integrate what she'd learned while boarded into our daily life. Cara also gave me lesson plans with the tasks and repetitions we needed to do to keep my doggy up to snuff on what she'd learned while I was gone. All in all the "customer service" from this whole experience, (calling Cara with small questions, her willingness to take the time to explain in detail answers to my questions, getting updates on my dogs day, was superb). I had so much anxiety in the first place about boarding her anywhere, and now I feel completely comfortable taking her to Buddy's Chance. And, I know she loves it, because she can't get in the door fast enough whenever we arrive there. I've had numerous other wonderful experiences with Cara and Buddy's Chance, but I'll try to keep it short. I fostered two special needs puppies, both deaf and blind, last year, and during that foster period I took them both to Buddy's Chance for the free puppy training classes, which were very useful, did I mention free?, and gave the obviously disadvantaged puppies a leg up in getting adopted (which they happily now are, both in their respective forever homes). The most recent great experience (for me at least), was the last time I boarded my resident dog. I had a family trip out of state, which my dog could not attend. The flight home was delayed, so we missed the window of time to pick our pooch up. Somewhere in the mix, after hours, my dog had what I can only assume was a canine panic attack - there was a thunderstorm earlier in the day that may have scared her, that's all I can attribute it to. She freaked out in her crate and scratched up her snout trying to escape her kennel. Cara saw her on camera from her home, and drove to Buddy's Chance to try and calm her down (she was happy as a lark as soon as she got out of her crate). Long story short, I ended up picking her up from BC post 10 p.m., where Cara kindly waited for me to arrive. Had the cameras not been in place, and if Cara had not been so awesome as to check up on the dogs way past office hours from her home, it would have been a bad night for my sweet girl. I absolutely love Buddy's Chance and trust Cara and the staff wholeheartedly with boarding and every thing else dog related. To this day, we still use the commands and training she learned while in board and train 2 years ago. I was totally ignorant about crate training before the board and train, and I'm now an ardent believer in it. (It sure sped up the whole house training, eating electronics while I was away bit). Love, love LOVE this place, and I'm so glad I found it! Also on the list of awesomeness, Buddy's Chance doesn't charge a fee during boarding to feed your own dog food, or dispense meds, which is great for me, because my dog is always on special food and meds for her various health problems. Again, I love Buddy's Chance! read more

I've boarded my 1yr old (not so well behaved) Weimariner, at Buddy's Chance numerous times this summer, and have been incredibly happy with their services. I feel very comfortable leaving my Dog with Cara, I know she will give him the attention he needs and he will have plenty of playtime. Although we haven't enrolled in training classes yet, my puppy always comes home from a boarding visit exhausted from all of the playtime, and VERY well behaved... I'm convinced Cara is Austin's very own dog whisperer! I recommend Buddy's Chance to all of my friends for boarding and training services. :) read more

My dog has been doing a combo of training class/boarding/daycare at Buddy's Chance for about 18 months. Cara and her staff (particularly Amy and Kristen) really know and love my dog, help me out for no additional charge with tips on behavior. For the longest time, the prices could't be beat in Central Austin. They've gone up a little bit, but I know that means my dog is getting more attention because they can have more staff. I think all training methods are only as good as reinforcement and practice, and I wish I was a little more consistent at home, but Cara has very sound training methods and I know she only hires people who really care about dogs. Highly recommended. read more

I boarded my active young active dog there twice and both times he became so anxious he had to go to the vet. The first time he chewed on his skin, and the second time he had diarehea and vomiting. Since then I have boarded him a two other places where he did great! I really don't think he recieved the care and attention he needed at Buddy's Chance. I also took his bed, as I thought he might like something familiar. When I asked for it back, Cara told me it had been chewed up, and what do expect with dogs around. ( a little supervision would of been nice). read more

I spent hundreds of dollars for Cara to teach me how to use the "here" command. Basically, we stand around in a dirty, smelly and chaotic environment and teach our dogs the "here" command. Cara never once responded to a voice message or any emails I sent her. She is not organized and regularly would forget to post the class schedule or would bounce around owners and their dogs from one class day to another. Or, she would post the class schedule and then forget there was a holiday and cancel. There is no consistency. She is obviously over worked and is not able to spend time with the dogs and their owners when in class. Cara always appeared tired and had little energy other than to stand around and watch us for 45ish minutes. One of her recommendations for my dog with aggression issues was to load her in the car every time she needed to go outside, drive somewhere with no "triggers" and let her use the bathroom. Ridiculous advice! And, was given without any thought to our living situation. I don't know about you, but I don't have time to drive out to the country everytime my dog needs to go outside. I no do not recommend this trainer. read more

I have a super sweet, but super challenging dog who was aggressively reactive to just about every person, dog, bird, lawnmower, sprinkler, bicycle, scooter, motorcycle...you get the idea...that we ever came up to. Cara and staff at Buddy's Chance have made an incredible difference in our lives. While there is still work to do, I can now take my dog on walks without it turning into an embarrassing and potentially dangerous event. In fact, just today as part of the Reactive Dog class she actually touched noses with another dog and didn't freak out! Amazing. Previously if she even caught sight of another dog a block away it would turn into a huge event with me having to find another route home. I highly recommend Buddy's Chance for any issues you might have with your pup, they are especially good with aggressive and reactive dogs that other trainers may turn away, or even make worse. I also use them to board. It's a much more controlled environment than a typical doggy day care. My dog is put in play environments with dogs that are more her speed and they are diligently monitored while running around the training center playing keep away, ball, or whatever. Their prices are very reasonable for boarding and training. One final mention, Cara is very knowledgeable on most training methods, but primarily uses positive reinforcement as a way to encourage dogs to be good. IMO, this works so much better in the long run and is so much better for the dogs health. I give them 5 stars only because I can't give them 10. read more